Method of and means for fastening interior wall panels to automobile body frames



April 8, 1930. H, J, WOODALL ET AL 1,753,397

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR FASTENING INTERIOR WALL PANELs TO AUTOMOBILE BODY FRAMES Filed oct. 51, 192'/4 A TTORNEY Patented Apr. 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE HERBERT WOODALL AND MEREDITH S. RANDALL, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR FASTENING INTERIOR WALL PANELS TO AUTOMOBILE BODY FRAMES Application led `October 31, 1927. Serial No. 229,828.

Our invention relates to an improved method of and means for fastening an interior wall panel to an automobile body frame. These wall panels-carry the upholstering material and are commonly fastened in place with the upholstery secured to the panel sections. Heretofore various methods have been employed to fasten the panels in position. These panels have commonly been nailed in place andit has likewise been a common practice to provide fasteners carried by the frame adapted to cooperate with fastening devices carried by the panel. Each of these practices has inherent disadvantages. The nails or other fastening devices came loose and due to exposure caused considerable lannoyance and the panels themselves worked loose. r1 he fastening was not of such a character as' to draw the panel-taut across the frame and buckling and wrinkling were not uncommon occurrences.

Our `improved fastening is completely hidden from view and, furthermore, holds the panel at all times securely to thev frame and during the operation of fastening the panel to the frame it draws the panel taut across the frame. It isinexpensive, simple in construction, easily attached in place and the operation of fastening the panel therewith to the frame is a very simple one. Various advantages and meritorious features of our improved structure will more fully appear from the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a door panel held in place and embodyin our invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectiona view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the same line as Fig. 2 prior to the complete fastening of the panel in place.

Fig. 4 1s a side elevation of a panel suitable for illustrating our invention.

In the drawing let 10 indicate an automobile door -frame structure wherein 12 is the outer wall and'14 the inner wall of the frame. We secure to this inner wall a suitable number of properly disposed panel supporting members which are here shown as being V-shaped inl cross-section. The leaf 16 of the V is secured to the wall 14 in abutting relationship and the leaf 18 of the V projects outwardly angularly therefrom at an angle which may conveniently approximate an angle of This panel support is preferably formed of deformable metal so that the outwardly projecting leaf 18 may be bent toward the frame as appears in Fig. 2 to hold the panel in place as hereinafter described. Preferably these panel supporting members would be provided in pairs arranged in spaced apart relationship to engage opposite marginal portions of the panel. One only is here shown but the fastening is in each case the same. a

We provide a panel adapted to lit the frame which panel is preferably so formed as to have-folded over marginal flanges 20. This panel is placed u on the frame with the inturnal marginal angesp20 engaged over the angularly projecting leaves 18 of lthe panel supporting members. These leaves 18 are then bent toward the frame and in this operation it will be seen that the leaves move out'- wardly with respect to the panel and not only draw the panel tightly against the frame but by virtue of moving snugly into the groove formed by thev marginal folds upon the panel stretch the panel taut across the.k

frame as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The panel is now securely held in place by a fastening which is completely hidden and by one which not onl firmly secures the panel to the frame but likewise exerts a tension thereon to prevent any buckling of the panel.

What we claim is:

1. An automobile body wall structure including a frame provided with linearly extending angular panel supports disposed in spaced apart relationship, each support having a deformable leaf projecting normally outwardly angularly with respect to the frame and a panel superimposing the frame provided with inturned marginal flanges engaged over the angularly projecting leaves of the supports and held thereby toward the frame and outwardly with respect thereto to stretch the panel taut across the frame.y

2. The herein described method of secur- Aion ing panels to automobile doors and the like having deformable and oppositely disposed fastenlng devices including an outwardly 1nclined member associated therewith, the steps which comprise the placing of apanel provided with mar 'nal flanges into interitting relationship witlthe said oppositely inclined members on the door to grip the marginal portions of the panel and bending said inclined members inwardly with respect to the door to thereby securely maintain the panel thereto and maintain it in a taut condition across the frame of the door.

3. The herein described method of securing panels to automobile door and other automobile body constructions having oppositely disposed and angularly extending leaves vertically disposed with respect to the door and operatively connected therewith one of which is deformable, the steps which comprise the positioning of a panel having inturned marginal flanges into interitting relationship with said leaves and in subsequently bending the deformable angular leaf toward the frame structurev and outwardly with respect to the panel to thereby draw the panel against/the frame and stretch the panel across the frame.

4. An automobile body wall structure including a fra-me provided with linearly eX- tending angular panel supports disposed in spaced apart relationship, each support having a leaf projecting normally outwardly angularly with respect to the frame, one of aid leaves being deformable, and a panel superimposing the frame provided with' inturned marglnal flanges engaged over the angularly projecting leaves of the supports and held thereby toward the frame and outwardly with respect thereto to stretch the panel taut across the frame.

In testimony whereof we sign this specifb cation.

HERBERT J. WOODALL. MEREDITH S. RANDALL. 

